Economist Group – on the front line in protecting anonymous sources

Symantec Endpoint Protection and the Human Firewall

Overview

The nature of a news-gathering organization means relying solely on traditional security, locking down all systems and devides, simply isn’t practical. To further complicate this necessity for easy access, anonymous sources and their stories need to be protected – the Economist relies on that guaranteed confidentiality to gain the trust of often vulnerable individuals who they rely on to gather independent, unbiased reportage.

The Challenge

Journalists, photographers and freelance contracters often need open access to a wide array of information, and they’re often on the road, working on unsecured hotel networks and public Wi-Fi. Public infrastructure in war-torn areas can often be disrupted, with forces actively working to foil their attempts to file stories that reveal the true nature of conflict.

The Solution

Education, education, education – and Symantec Endpoint Protection 14

Vicki Gavin, who has a postgraduate degree in adult education, is a firm believer in lifelong learning and works by the motto that cyber security starts with people. Having previously managed with a combination of point solutions, Vicki made the decision to consolidate with an upgrade to Symantec Endpoint Protection 14. After running a seamless proof of concept in their Hong Kong office, Vicki’s IT team found they could roll out the SEP 14 upgrade to the New York office practically overnight. Combined with an internal security awareness ‘contest’ where staff were encouraged to send stores on how data breaches had impacted them, Gavin has seen a noticeable improvement in The Economist’s risk posture.